SNP CANDIDATE WRITES TO BBC OVER MISLEADING WEBSITE
Monday 4 January 2010
SNP Westminster candidate for Banff & Buchan Eilidh Whiteford hit out today at misleading information being provided by the BBC's Democracy Live web site.
Following complaints from constituents, Dr Whiteford conducted a series of tests of the new facility which is designed to assist the public in identifying who their parliamentary representatives are.
Speaking today she said,
"When I put my own Macduff post code I discovered that the BBC suggested that I was represented by the list MSPs for the Highlands and by the MP and the MSP for Gordon. The majority of representatives shown were wrong and all the North-east regional MSPs were omitted.
"Using various post codes across Scotland, I was unable to find one without error.
"In the run up to the Westminster election, it is important that people wishing to quiz their current representatives are provided with accurate information. I have written to the BBC asking them to withdraw this facility until its many errors are corrected."
Notes:
The facility may be accessed at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/scotland_politics/default.stm (top right of page)
Post codes checked and found in error -
AB44 1XS (Macduff) - 9 Parliamentarians incorrectly included, 7 Parliamentarians incorrectly omitted
IV3 5QA (Inverness) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
AB12 3AR (Aberdeen) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
EH7 5QZ (Edinburgh) - 5 Parliamentarians incorrectly included
EH49 7EW (Linlithgow) - 10 Parliamentarians incorrectly included, 7 Parliamentarians incorrectly omitted
G5 8TA (Glasgow) - 3 Parliamentarians incorrectly included
KY1 1SA (Kirkcaldy) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
DD2 2HB (Dundee) - 4 Parliamentarians incorrectly included
PA23 8AY (Dunoon) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
PH2 0ER (Perth) - 3 Parliamentarians incorrectly included
DG1 2RR (Dumfries) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
ZE1 0PE (Lerwick) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
EH42 1YG (Dunbar) - 1 Parliamentarian incorrectly included
FK1 5QU (Falkirk) - 2 Parliamentarians incorrectly included
